Fort Lauderdale: Exciting Outdoor Adventures

Florida

Fort Lauderdale: Exciting Outdoor Adventures

Florida

Fort Lauderdale: Exciting Outdoor Adventures

Greater Fort Lauderdale is truly an outdoor lover’s paradise, with a host of ways to enjoy yourself

Explore the 480-plus kilometers of inland waterways, laze on 37 kilometers of award-winning beaches, snorkel among coral reefs, glide through the Everglades and go deep-sea fishing. There is truly something to suit every age, budget and ability.

Fort Lauderdale from the Water

With its expansive canal system, sunny Fort Lauderdale, known as the “Venice of America,” is a city ideal for outdoor adventurers. I couldn’t miss the opportunity to charter a private yacht, soak up the beauty of the waterways and marvel at the incredible multimillion-dollar homes. A cheaper alternative is to jump aboard the Water Taxi. Once you have purchased your ticket, you can hop on and off throughout the day at multiple stops.

Fort Lauderdale is fortunate to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the USA with golden-sand and turquoise waters, but if you get bored after lazing on the beach for too long, don’t worry because the city is a truly chic beach destination. An iconic three-kilometer white wave wall flanks the promenade, where you can stroll or skate past swaying palm trees or stop into some of the cute open-air restaurants, cafés and shops.

In Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, an adorable town known as the “Shore Dive Capital of South Florida,” divers can head straight into the water from the beach and easily swim to coral reefs. If you enjoy fishing, you should head to Anglins Fishing Pier for the perfect spot. You can also dine in one of the many restaurants and enjoy sitting in the colourful chairs or playing the large-scale Connect 4 or Jenga game with your family in the centre of town.

For a different type of on-the-water adventure, Sawgrass Recreation Park is the place to go. Explore the Everglades on an airboat tour that skims across the water. With no motor below the water’s surface, it can go in shallow water that is not accessible by other types of boats. After your thrilling airboat ride, head to the exotic wildlife exhibits, where you can visit the endangered Florida panther and black leopards and hold a baby alligator. Holding an alligator was one of the most memorable parts of my trip.

Airboat tour of the Everglades from Sawgrass Recreation Park near Fort Lauderdale

If you are the adventurous type, taking a deep-sea fishing charter may be right up your alley. Greater Fort Lauderdale is the perfect place to do it with year-round migration of some of the most sought-after game fish in the world. I had never been fishing before and to say it was a memorable experience would be an understatement. My first catch of the day was a 2.1-meter 113.4-kilogram sandbar shark. We also reeled in some nice-size king mackerel, barracuda and tuna! This was followed by a possibly more sensible, but just as pretty mahi-mahi.